Nine

Nine

A Chapter by Alejandro Libaque

A friend of a friend wanted to become president of a student organization. His motto? Vote for the change. He decided to run because nobody else was doing so, and since they were all friends within the club, he found it an easy win, especially if no competing-against-friends took place, but just when it seemed like he'd win someone else showed up and said, 'Hey, I want to be president too!', and the what-so-called triumph of the friend of my friend broke into tiny pieces very hard to find and put back together.

It was a friend of his, someone with experience, one of the co-founders, a member and executive for the past two years; a friend to other members and a third-year student. How was he to compete against him? He needed to show the electorate he was qualified for that position, and had no idea of how to do that. It was time to dig deep in his ambitions and find something that looked like he wanted to be president for the sake of the association and not just a title that would look good on his resume. What had he to offer the club that no one else could?

Change. The answer was change. He was a first-year student and he was sure he could give the association a new vision, new goals, new perks, a new air. Being a first-year gave him that sense of freshness he assumed any other candidate would lack of if they weren't first-years as him. If his opponent was experienced and had been with the association for two years following the same guidelines and promises since the beginning, it was time for a change, and the friend of my friend was that change.

Did you know that 'change' is the first thing among many other promises politicians use in their campaigns? Very, very few promise to keep up the efforts and work of the leaving committee. That is why there are so many 'outsiders' winning elections all over the world. Very, very few applaud the accomplishments of those departing, and focus on continuing the job. Many others, on the other hand, prefer to offer a new air, a new path, a new vision… yes, yes, all the friend of my friend wanted to give his club.

Talking to other friends, who happen to be members of a lot more clubs than the friend of my friend and I, made him realize he wasn't the only one focusing his campaign on 'change'. There are around 120 student organizations on campus, and 'change' became the motto of more than 85 candidates. It's a trend I guess. Only 37 made it to the big chair. The friend of my friend didn't. But it's okay. Things like that happen, and unlike many people who ran and didn't make it, he was anything but mad. It just served him to learn that change does not always mean 'good', and is not always what people want.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same".


© 2008 Alejandro Libaque


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Added on May 23, 2008


Author

Alejandro Libaque
Alejandro Libaque

Toronto, Canada



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In a mirror you see the reflection of your body, but the reflection of your life is only shown in what comes out of your lips, if you recite, and your hands, if you write. To write is to open a door o.. more..

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